1. Field of the Invention
This invention is to be used as an add on to small existing navigation buoys.
This invention relates in general to the use of mini solar panels which in turn convert sunlight into usable electricity to charge a rechargeable gelled electrolyte battery located inside of an existing navigation buoy caisson. The battery in turn operates the existing buoy electronics system.
2. Prior Art
In the past, lighted navigation buoys have been powered with disposable batteries that had to be replaced several times in a boating season and then disposed of into the environment, very costly in dollars, and more importantly costly to the environment.
Solar generators using solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity are already known to power larger navigation beacons. See, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,735, issued July 26, 1988. They are complicated and expensive to build.
No device is known, however, to charge small navigation buoys at an economical cost, and to eliminate the enormous quantity of disposable batteries being disposed of into the environment.